Schools in Lambeth discussion thread

[leanderman]

Key Stage 2 primary results out today.

Huge improvements at Jubilee School. 79% of kids getting to expected level, instead of only 36% last year!

Improvement too at King's Avenue 63% to 70%, Holy Trinity 71% to 87%, Richard Atkins 79% to 93% etc

The across the board improvements are slightly suspicious!

 

[Orang Utan]

The more I learn about stats like that, the more I am reminded about how cops present their stats to the city bosses in The Wire.

 

[gaijingirl]

they're bollocks frankly... knowing what I do about NC levels, there is no way I'd choose my child's school based on them - or certainly not based on them alone.

 

[Thora]

Could you expand a bit on that GG?

 

[Thora]

Could you expand a bit on that GG?

 

[gaijingirl]

I'll pm you if you like. I tend to try not to talk about work online too much. Just couldn't resist an aside on that note.

 

[Thora]

Yeah I'd definitely like to know more about NC levels/SATs - my local schools range from 25% to 75% at expected level

 

[leanderman]

Could you expand a bit on that GG?

These are small sample sizes for a start. The results are based on only 40-45 kids.

And of course there are lots of other issues with 'league tables' ...

 

[Thora]

These are small sample sizes for a start. The results are based on only 40-45 kids.

And of course there are lots of other issues with 'league tables' ...

Are the results not from the school's Year 6 classes?

 

[leanderman]

Are the results not from the school's Year 6 classes?

Guess so. And most of these schools have about 45 kids entering in reception

 

[Thora]

Guess so. And most of these schools have about 45 kids entering in reception

Ah, so 1.5 classes a year? Are mixed age classes the norm?

 

[leanderman]

Yes. My daughters are in mixed classes. You kind of want them to be in the older class for reasons of pride but then they can get a bit lost

 

[Miss-Shelf]

year 6 six sats only tell you what the previous 6 or 7 years in the school has been like - with the turn over of staff many schools have that doesn't tell you what the next 7 years are going to be like

(I don't think SAT's even tell you that to be honest - statistics don't tell you how your child is going to be supported emotionally or what the school does to promote an equitable community for instance)

 

[nagapie]

Yes. My daughters are in mixed classes. You kind of want them to be in the older class for reasons of pride but then they can get a bit lost

What are mixed classes?

 

[Thora]

Mixed age - if schools take 45 children a year then they effectively have 1.5 classes, so for eg. either have 3 mixed Yr1-Yr2 classes, or 1 Yr1, 1 Yr1-Yr2, 1 Yr2.

 

[nagapie]

I didn't realise they did that in primary. We are discussing mixing year groups at my secondary next year, I have to say it rocked my mind at first but I guess they mix them in nursery so it's not that different.

 

[Thora]

I didn't realise they did that in primary. We are discussing mixing year groups at my secondary next year, I have to say it rocked my mind at first but I guess they mix them in nursery so it's not that different.

I think nursery classes are going to end up with less of an age range though, as places start to take children only in September rather than in January and April too.

 

[nagapie]

I think nursery classes are going to end up with less of an age range though, as places start to take children only in September rather than in January and April too.

But they'll still have the 3+ children mixed. Do primaries mix more than 2 years? Might your child be in year 1 with children from year 3?!

 

[leanderman]

But they'll still have the 3+ children mixed. Do primaries mix more than 2 years? Might your child be in year 1 with children from year 3?!

No.

 

[Thora]

But they'll still have the 3+ children mixed. Do primaries mix more than 2 years? Might your child be in year 1 with children from year 3?!

No, I mean at the moment some children are in nursery for 4 or 5 terms rather than just 3 as they can start in January or April - many nursery classes are now only taking children in September, so all children in the nursery class will be in the same academic year.

 

[Griffter]

Schools too are now only doing single intakes, in line with the nurseries. This means that a child who is still three in August but has a birthday before the term starts finds itself in full time education which is often a lot for them to cope with. My son is really struggling in the reception because he is effectively a year younger than some of the other kids but there is no other official intake in either January or Easter. The classes aren't mixed but it seems ridiculous that we are putting in place a system that is pretty much the opposite than in effective education systems like Finland.

 

[snowy_again]

Due to the school funding formula dates...

 

[cuppa tee]

The top man at one Lambeth educational establishment has a unique vision for secondary education which some may find controversial. His solution is to bus 13+ year olds out of the city to a boarding school on Monday morning returning home for the weekends. I can see pitfalls here, not least the fact that these teenagers will be spending the weekends in a dubious environment so the security set up at the school will have to be something like an open prison....... http://www.durandacademy.com/durand-trust/

 

[nagapie]

Urgh. Effectively saying their parents are crap. Like sending your children to boarding school at age 11 really teaches them the emotional literacy to become better people.

Kill that governing body, kill them in the face.

 

[gaijingirl]

that's been in the pipeline for years (at Durand)... I thought they had already been doing it at primary level, but must have been mistaken.

 

[Thora]

Schools too are now only doing single intakes, in line with the nurseries. This means that a child who is still three in August but has a birthday before the term starts finds itself in full time education which is often a lot for them to cope with. My son is really struggling in the reception because he is effectively a year younger than some of the other kids but there is no other official intake in either January or Easter. The classes aren't mixed but it seems ridiculous that we are putting in place a system that is pretty much the opposite than in effective education systems like Finland.

That's the position my son will be in too as he is 4 in August. He doesn't legally have to start school until he is 5 so the only other option is to skip Reception entirely and go straight into Year 1 at 5 - if there is a place.

 

[nagapie]

That's the position my son will be in too as he is 4 in August. He doesn't legally have to start school until he is 5 so the only other option is to skip Reception entirely and go straight into Year 1 at 5 - if there is a place.

If you do this I suppose you are at a disadvantage as places are allocated for reception. Something to consider though if you don't like your options, just hang about on some waiting lists.

 

[leanderman]

i wanna know where these people who buy up the sort of places mentioned here send their kids to school? from what i can make out, they don't send them to any of the schools i know in the brixton area.

private schools? genuine question.

They go private - or use the faith school route.

 

[leanderman]

Because faith schools have larger cashments!

 

[cuppa tee]

i wanna know where these people who buy up the sort of places mentioned here send their kids to school? from what i can make out, they don't send them to any of the schools i know in the brixton area.

private schools? genuine question.

Your assuming they have kids
primary or secondary ?